I finally traveled to that anime con in Chicago, and the fan talks were pointless

I drove all the way to Chicago for that big anime event last week. I wanted to hear smart chats about shows like Fullmetal Alchemist. But each panel just had people shouting their hot takes without listening. One group argued for an hour about which filler arcs are good, and no one agreed. Another talk on movie adaptations turned into a mess with spoilers thrown around. I sat through three panels and felt my time was totally wasted. It was like everyone wanted to be right, not share ideas. I packed up early and just walked around the vendor hall instead. Maybe cons are not for deep talk anymore.

3 comments

3 Comments

mitchell.lee1mo ago

Pick panels WITH listed moderators, @harpers18, way LESS chaos.

harpers181mo ago

Ugh, why are filler arc talks always the worst? I went to one last year that turned into a total mess over shonen endings, just a screaming match. Do you think they just pick the loudest fans to run these things?

derekf471mo ago

Honestly, those panels are a nightmare when no one sets ground rules. I've seen moderators just let fans yell over each other about whether Naruto should have ended after Pain. My advice? Check if the panel description mentions a Q&A format or if they have a proven moderator. The good ones usually have someone who cuts off rants and keeps things moving. Otherwise, you're just watching a Twitter fight happen in real life. Why do we even go to these things if they're just echo chambers?